Gluten Free Scones: Sweet & Savoury

When I was small scones came in two varieties, plain or with raisins (currants being the work of the devil), my Mum would batch bake and we would come home to a house filled with the smell of baking and there was nothing as good as breaking open a fresh scone, still warm from the oven and smearing on the butter.

Now scones come in myriad forms, Nutella, apple, pear and almond, cherry, mixed berry… there seems to be no limit to the recipes and I have been trying a few to see what will work with Gluten Free Flour. I have already tried the Raspberry Scones from Smitten Kitchen and the following two scone recipes are also adapted from recipes on the Smitten Kitchen website. The sweet scone is a strawberry scone to which I added vanilla to counter to slightly chalky taste that you can sometimes get with GF flour and the savoury one is from a recipe that originally called for Jalapenos which I substituted with Chives.

Strawberry scones

Adapted for GF from Smitten Kitchen

Ingredients

2 & ¼ cups of Doves Farm GF plain flour

1 teaspoon of xanthan gum

1 tablespoon of GF baking powder

½ teaspoon of salt

¼ cup of caster sugar

85 grams of butter, chilled

130 grams of ripe strawberries, chopped. Don’t chop them too small or they will just disintegrate.

1 cup of double cream

1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

Preheat the Oven to Gas 7, 220c,425

In a bowl stir together the flour, xanthan gum, baking powder, sugar and salt.

Grate or chop in the chilled butter and rub together until you get crumbly mix. The crumbs should not be as fine as the breadcrumb size you would have for pastry.

Stir in the chopped strawberries, be very gentle so you don’t break up the strawberries.

Combine the vanilla extract and double cream and then stir into the dry ingredients. Again be very gentle with the strawberries, combine the ingredients without crushing the berries.

Once combined bring the dough together with a quick knead, don’t overwork it.

Put the dough on a work surface that you have generously floured with GF flour.

Gently press or roll out the dough until it is an inch thick. GF scones won’t rise in the same way that regular scones will so it is important to give them a bit of height when you are rolling them out. Use a cutter to cut them out or else just cut them in to squares.

Put the scones on a tray lined with baking parchment, brush with beaten egg or milk and put in the preheated oven.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes. Check after 20 minutes by taking out one scone and tapping on the end to see if it feels cooked through.

These are best served still warm on the same day they are baked. To be extra decadent top with strawberry jam and whipped cream

Sour Cream and Chive Scones

Adapted for GF from Smitten Kitchen

Ingredients

2cups of Doves Farm GF plain flour

I &1/4 teaspoons xanthan gum

I tablespoon GF baking powder

1 teaspoon of salt

4 ounces of chilled butter

¼ pound of mature cheddar cheese diced

2 tablespoons of chopped chives

½ cup of double cream

2 eggs

Preheat your oven to Gas6, 190c, 375

Toss the chives and diced cheddar with one tablespoon of the GF flour in a bowl

In another bowl stir together the GF flour, xanthan gum, baking powder and salt.

Grate or chop in the chilled butter and rub together until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs.

Beat the two eggs and combine with the double cream.

Stir in to the dry ingredients using a wooden spoon, mix until everything is combined.

Add the cheese and chives and mix until incorporated.

Place the dough on a well -floured work surface and press or roll out until one inch thick.

Cut in to equal squares, brush with beaten egg and place on a tray that has been lined with baking parchment.

Bake for 25 minutes, until golden brown and oozing cheese

These scones are best enjoyed warm, slathered in butter or served with soup, stew or chilli.